Snow White's Stepmother
by Elioclya
Summary: How did she become so jealous and cruel? And more importantly, where DID she get that mirror?


Where did the Wicked Queen in Snow White go wrong?  
  
It may surprise you to learn that once, quite a while before she of the sooty hair and blood red lips became famous for her beauty, there was another lady, also incredibly beautiful, full of fanciful dreams and really quite gentle. What may surprise you even more is that this young girl (Carlotta was her name) later metamorphosed into she of the magic mirror, Snow White's wicked stepmother. The story is, as ever with a fairy tale, sad at the heart, and a perfect example of why we should all strive not to irritate certain people - sometimes the consequences can be drastic.  
  
From the age of 7, Carlotta had always been seen as particularly striking to the eyes, so much so that her parents were first asked for her hand in marriage when she was only 9 years old. They of course declined this honour, particularly as the one proposing to her happened to be the son of a bin man without even the prestige of good looks. The proposals continued to flood in over the next seven years, until at last, at the age of 16, Carlotta accepted an offer from a nearby duke.  
  
Leon was 23, incredibly handsome and extremely powerful. He was also, as one might say, a little sexist. Of course, Carlotta didn't realise before she married him that he would be quite like that, because Leon was also incredibly good at hiding his real self, and he knew that to get a wife he had to show some respect. So he was at his most charming during the courting period, which was brief. Carlotta, although very fond of her parents, had decided that it was time to leave home, and was more than willing to believe herself in love with the charming, back stabbing and simply delicious young man who appeared to be infatuated with her.  
  
Carlotta's parting with her parents was of course tearful, although her father's tears were considerably aided by the large quantity of beer he had consumed that morning, but as she climbed gracefully into the limousine (with only one small stumble as she walked towards it) she smiled to herself, radiantly happy to be leaving to be with the most handsome young man for miles around. Leon continued to be attentive to her during the journey; in fact he did so until the day after their wedding.  
  
On that sadly memorable day, Carlotta rose in the morning to greet her husband in the dining room. He gave her a curt nod, with the tiniest hint of any emotion.  
  
"Leon, darling," Carlotta smiled, enthusiastic in her naïveté, "What shall we be doing today?"  
  
"'We' shall be doing very little, Carlotta. I shall be entertaining my father's friends, and you shall be getting acquainted with the kitchen. I shall see you at dinner, which of course you will prepare."  
  
Carlotta accepted this meekly, thinking that of course Leon would be busy, needing to get back into his daily routine after his trip to visit her. But this was only the first sign; the week continued to get worse. The only time she spent with her husband was at breakfast and dinner, and then at night. He ordered her to spend her time cooking and cleaning, and never to approach him during the day. She was, she slowly began to realise, being used. The only aim, other than that of a permanent housekeeper, which Leon had with regard to her was to ensure that he had an heir; this was evident from the manner in which he entered her room at night, only to leave shortly later without uttering a word.  
  
Carlotta's mind grew resentful, as slowly the weeks flooded into months, the months into years. This can hardly be wondered at; her dreams of romance and adoration had been slowly broken down to a monotonous rhythm of daily life. She received considerably more attention from Leon's best man, Tristan, than from her husband; he was particularly attracted to her, and well aware that she was lonely. To him, Carlotta was always as kind and gentle as she had ever been, and he decided that he was in love with her.  
  
As the years had passed and Carlotta had failed to produce an heir for Leon, he had grown angry with her.  
  
"What is the point in a wife if she cannot perform her main function in life?" he would jeer angrily at her now when he came to her room, which occurred less and less. Carlotta's heart no longer desired love; revenge, revenge on men was all she wanted. She had been oppressed, and she longed to be the oppressor - what woman did not?  
  
Finally, after twelve years of growing anger towards her husband, Carlotta divorced him. He was shocked, mostly due to the fact that Carlotta had never complained, but instead of telling her that she was stupid or that she could not do so, he merely shrugged and said,  
  
"Well, I shall marry someone who can give me children - at last."  
  
Carlotta left immediately, and married Tristan as soon as the divorce papers came through. Tristan had been married once before, and had a daughter, aged five. At first, Carlotta was as pleasant as she had always been towards Tristan, but slowly she worked herself up into a position of power, and she delighted in the hold she had over him. He still loved her, and she knew that he would never divorce her.  
  
Perhaps you have been wondering where the magic mirror comes into this. Well, to be perfectly frank, the mirror was a bit of a mystery. One day Carlotta wandered into a curiosity shop, and saw this mirror, and bought it. She didn't realise then, however, that it was a bit more than a mirror. After 12 years of being a housewife, Carlotta had two things of which she was proud: her new power over Tristan, and her beauty. And so she spent long hours in front of mirrors, laughing to herself, and asking herself if there could be anyone more beautiful. When she bought this mirror and did the same, the mirror returned an answer: there was nobody of fairer face than Carlotta. Realising that there must be some kind of magic at work, Carlotta revelled in it, and began a deep study of magic.  
  
After five years of marriage to Tristan, and three of secret study, Carlotta decided that in order to perfect her skills she needed to get rid of her husband. Well, really, what was wrong with that? She would not divorce him, however; she needed the girl to work for her, to keep the house clean. And so she worked her first piece of great magic, making it seem as if Tristan had died peacefully, and acting out the part of a sorrowful wife. The girl, known as Snow White, was forced to act as her slave, and Carlotta widened her knowledge.  
  
She continued to enjoy her beauty and to consult daily with the mirror; she found it much more helpful than a psychologist or anti-depressants would have been to keep her cheerful. And so this continued until Snow White reached the age of 16, the same age as Carlotta had been when she married Leon (who, by the way, had found a wife of unbounded fertility and now had many spoilt little brats running around), when the mirror caused Carlotta great distress. Her anger at the answer - "Nay, noble lady, you are no longer the fairest, but rather she of the white skin, the black hair and the red lips, she that they call Snow White" - was incredible, and so she called upon an assassin, who led the girl to the woods. Carlotta had had many miserable years; she would not permit anyone to take her joy of beauty away from her. 


End file.
